DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers responded to a jarring injury with an audacious move.

Free-agent first baseman Prince Fielder and the Tigers agreed Tuesday to a nine-year, $214 million contract that fills the American League Central champions’ need for a power hitter, a person familiar with the deal said.

Detroit boldly stepped up in the Fielder sweepstakes after the recent knee injury to star Victor Martinez. A week ago, the Tigers announced the productive designated hitter could miss the entire season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during offseason conditioning.

The person told the Associated Press the deal was subject to a physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract was not yet complete.

The Tigers won their division by 15 games before losing in the AL championship series to Texas. Adding the 27-year-old Fielder gives the Tigers two of the game’s premier sluggers, pairing him with Miguel Cabrera.

The move also keeps Fielder’s name in the Tigers’ family. His father, Cecil, became a big-league star when he returned to the majors from Japan and hit 51 home runs with Detroit in 1990. Cecil played with the Tigers into the 1996 season, and young Prince made a name for himself by hitting prodigious home runs in batting practice at Tiger Stadium.

NEW YORK YANKEES

Posada retires after 17 years as Yankee

NEW YORK – Jorge Posada, flanked by his wife and children, with five World Series trophies sitting on a table to his right, retired at age 40 after 17 major league seasons.

The five-time all-star catcher finished with a .273 career batting average, 275 home runs and 1,065 runs batted in, all with the Yankees.

Posada joins Bernie Williams and Andy Pettitte in retirement, leaving only 37-year-old Derek Jeter and 42-year-old Mariano Rivera from the core group that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five years from 1996-2000.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Lincecum re-signs for two more years

SAN FRANCISCO – Two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum and the Giants reached a verbal agreement on a two-year contract worth $40.5 million.

Lincecum had asked for a near-record $21.5 million in salary arbitration and had been offered $17 million by the club. He remains eligible for free agency following the 2013 season.

The 27-year-old right-hander, the winning pitcher in the Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas in 2010, earned $13.1 million last season when he finished a two-year deal worth $23.2 million.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Saunders fired; Wittman takes over

WASHINGTON – Seeking different strategies at both ends of the court and improvement from a roster filled with young players such as John Wall, the NBA-worst Wizards fired coach Flip Saunders after a 2-15 start and replaced him with assistant Randy Wittman.

Saunders and Wittman are both former Timberwolves coaches.

“I’m not the miracle-maker here,” said Wittman, who was given the top job through the end of the season. “We’ve got to change our outlook on how we play.”

The Wizards fell to 0-7 on the road with a 20-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Washington’s next game is at home tonight against Charlotte.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Manning not happy with Indy upheaval

INDIANAPOLIS – Peyton Manning still intends to play football.

He’s also no fan of the Colts’ big offseason overhaul that included the firing of coach Jim Caldwell and other executives.

In an interview with the Indianapolis Star, Manning touched on everything from his plans to the difficulty he has had coping with all the changes.

“It’s 20 degrees, it’s snowing, the building is absolutely empty except when you see coaches cleaning out their offices,” Manning said. “I guess it’s the reality of the football world, just not something I’ve had to deal with very often. But I’m in there every day, so I have to sit there and see it. Everybody’s being evaluated, and I’m no different. It’s not the best environment.”

While Manning would not say where he is in his recovery or how close he is to being 100 percent 4-1/2 months after having his latest neck surgery.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Reports say Allen will be new coach

ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Raiders reportedly agreed to hire Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their head coach, breaking a more than three-decade stretch of offensive-minded head coaches for the franchise.

The hiring was first reported by Fox Sports and ESPN, with both outlets saying final details were still being worked out Tuesday night. The Raiders had no immediate comment on the reports.

New general manager Reggie McKenzie decided on his new coach exactly two weeks after he was hired. He immediately fired Hue Jackson, who went 8-8 in his only season as coach, and began the search.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Ovechkin to skip All-Star Game

ARLINGTON, Va. – Alex Ovechkin is skipping the NHL All-Star Game, a decision he announced a day after getting a three-game suspension from the league for a hit on an opponent.

“My heart is not there. I got suspended, so why (do) I have to go there?” the Capitals’ captain and a two-time league MVP said. “I love the (All-Star) game. It’s a great event. I love to be there.”

Ovechkin was punished by the NHL on Monday for launching himself to hit Pittsburgh defenseman Zbynek Michalek during Washington’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins on Sunday.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Nadal, Federer to meet in semifinals

MELBOURNE, Australia – The intensity was vintage Rafael Nadal.

On the stroke of midnight, he thrust his arms up and punched the air, sealing the victory that sets up the most anticipated semifinal at the Australian Open in quite some time.

Playing with a new racket and a heavily taped right knee, Nadal was at his demonstrative best, rallying after losing the first set to beat Tomas Berdych 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-3.

Roger Federer did his part to put this in place, beating 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in a quarterfinal marking his 1,000th tour-level match.

On the women’s side, former and reigning Wimbledon winners Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova will meet in the semifinals after both won in straight sets today.

In the men’s doubles quarterfinals, Eric Butorac of Rochester, Minn., and Bruno Soares lost 6-4, 7-6 (4) to Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek.

Minikahda to host ’17 U.S. Senior Am

MINNEAPOLIS-The Minikahda Club will add to its long list of national golf championships in 2017 when the historic Minneapolis club serves as host to the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship.

Dates for the match-play championship for men 55 and over are Aug. 26-31.

Bobby Jones won the 1927 U.S. Amateur at Minikahda to complete his historic Grand Slam. The club also hosted the 1916 U.S. Open, 1957 Walker Cup, 1988 U.S. Women’s Amateur and 1998 Curtis Cup, along with numerous top-notch regional and state competitions.

The Minikahda Club, adjacent to Lake Calhoun, dates to 1898 and began as a nine-hole course. Expanded to 18 holes in 1907, the course was redesigned by Donald Ross in 1920 and restored by Ron Prichard in 2001.

– Tad Reeve

BASEBALL

American League

Baltimore Orioles-Agreed to terms with INF Wilson Betemit on a two-year contract.

New York Yankees-Agreed to terms with C Russell Martin on a one-year contract.

Oakland Athletics-Agreed to terms with RHP Bartolo Colon on a one-year contract.

Tampa Bay Rays-Agreed to terms with 1B Carlos Pena on a one-year contract.

Toronto Blue Jays-Agreed to terms with RHP Brandon Morrow on a three-year contract.

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